Where's the Gold...

Having been shown around PJ's house for the day, the crew sat down to plan the next instalment of the trip, gold mines.
In the early 1900's, the surrounding area was popular for gold mining with both Australian and international prospectors. World War II however, brought an end to most of the mining as the prospectors left their claims to fight for their country and seek what they thought to be better conditions. Slowly but surely the rainforest reclaimed most of the equipment until 1960, when mining in the area picked up again. Running into the early 80's, the miners were slowly forced out as the forestry lease expired and the land was given back to the Aboriginal community or turned into National Park.
PJ had spent part of his 22 years in the area gold mining in the area, and still had a small jar of his own findings, along with copies of newspaper clippings and maps which dated back to 1934.
Knowing that the track to the mines would be blocked by fallen trees from the cyclone, the crew prepared for a few days of forging through the leech infested rainforest before setting off.
After a day and a half of track clearing, the convoy eventually reached PJ's old house where he stayed for 15 years during his time spent mining. It had however, been reclaimed by the bush along with the remaining part of the track which was impassable by car. The decision was made to continue by quad bike through the last stretch down into the creeks that were home to the Gold Miners.
The mines were eventually reached, and PJ guided the crew around the area pointing out some of the abandoned mine shafts and equipment that had been left behind. An excavator and a flat bed truck were some of the more recent items to succumb to the forest, but you didn't have to look far to find jars, tools and other signs of camp near by.
On the way out of the rainforest I asked PJ how I could post him some photos from our time spent at his place. “Just address it to PJ, Creb Track Wujal Wujal” he said, “that will find its way to me when I head into town next”. I laughed at how simple things seemed to be out here. We'd managed find PJ, but I think he'd shown us all hell of a lot more.
The full DVD and story from this series can be seen on The Australian Bushman's first DVD to be released in September 2014.
34 of 65 next